It is well known that when a golf ball is hit onto the putting green, a marker is used to temporarily mark the position of the ball so that the ball may be removed to allow another golf ball to be played. When the first golf ball is ready to be putted, the marker is picked up and replaced with the ball. This action occurs frequently throughout a round of golf. The marker must therefore be held in a convenient location which is easily accessible to the golfer and from which the marker will not be lost.
Several articles have been suggested for holding markers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,624 disclosed a ground repair tool chain retains a ball marker, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,895,797, 4,930,500, and 5,364,094 disclose articles for holding ball markers which can be releasable attached to or held by the golfer's clothing. Because these items are small and not securely attached to anything, they may become misplaced when not is use and require golfers to specifically remember to take them when going to play golf. Also, these articles may need to be worn in places which many golfer's find uncomfortable, such as on a belt or shirt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,950 discloses a marker held to a golf shoe by a permanent magnet. The marker is positioned in a place which for which for many golfers is difficult to reach and from which it may become lost without the golfer realizing it.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,220 discloses a marker held to a flexible web worn about a golfer's wrist. This is another article of the type described above which the golfer must specifically remember to bring and which may become lost. Furthermore, the flexible web may be uncomfortable to some golfers and may even interfere with their play.
Thus, there remains a need for an article for holding a golf ball marker which is easily accessible to the golfer and which minimizes the inconvenience to the golfer and the risk of being lost or misplaced. The present invention provides such an article.